Death is but the Next Great Adventure
by Unintelligible Me
Summary: Just a little oneshot of Fred's journey to a better place, and meeting his lifelong idols. As thrilled as he is, he can't help but miss his beloved other half.


_**Well, this was going to be a funny little oneshot, and then I was going to make it cute, and then I just gave up and just wrote. This is what happens when my muse slaps me in the face at 2am on a school night. Also results in an hours sleep.** _

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><p>Fred stepped off the train, casting a longing look back, wishing his twin would be stepping off of the gleaming vehicle behind him, but nobody followed. He supposed he should be glad, that his dear Georgie didn't have to come with him on this particular adventure. He let out a sigh as the train pulled away, and he cast a glance around to gather his new surroundings. He was in what appeared to be the Hogwarts' grounds, and in front of him were three very familiar people.<p>

"The Welcoming committee?" he asked with a grin, which was mirrored by two of them, the third simply smiling.

"In a way" Remus replied, nodding his head.

"Prongsie, this is our new protégé!" a grinning Sirius Black exclaimed, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

"You're Harry's dad, right?" Fred asked, knowing that the black haired man in front of him resembled the Boy Who Lived way too much to not be James Potter. "I'm honoured." Fred was only half kidding. The man had died a brave death, and it was truly an honour to meet the man.

"Yep, that's me. Pleasure to meet you, Fred," James grinned, stepping forward and holding his hand out. Fred took it without hesitation, noting that though he could see their hands joined, he felt nothing. "James Potter, the one and only. But you can call me Prongs," James winked, running his newly freed hand through his already messy hair, rumpling it up even further.

Fred froze, his mouth dropping open. "No way… no bloody way… You're… Prongs! But- but wait, then…" he looked to Remus, "…Moony?" The werewolf nodded, smiling brightly, looking younger and more at ease than Fred had ever seen him. "Then Sirius… you're Padfoot?"

"You bet your arseI am!" Sirius grinned. Fred dropped to his knees, bowing down to the three men in front of him.

"I am not worthy!" he gasped, looking up at them, "I have dedicated my whole life to you guys!"

James had a hearty laugh at this, shaking his head. "No, you are more than worthy. While watching over Harry, I've seen many of the things you and your brother have pulled off over the years, and I'm very impressed. You could give Moony over here a run for his money with your brilliance. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is probably the best thing I've heard of in a while."

Fred beamed, getting to his feet. "I feel like I've just been praised by god."

"Close enough" Sirius declared, waving a dismissive hand, "And now, we would like to formally invite you to join us, as a fellow Marauder."

Fred's jaw dropped, rooted to the spot. "I really have died, haven't I?" he asked in an awed voice. If heaven existed, this was it. But then again, if Heaven existed, his George would be here too. He sobered at that thought, though there was still a glint in his eye, which the three Marauders could clearly see. "I accept your offer. I solemnly swore I was up to no good the moment George and I nicked your map from Filch back in first year. On one condition though," he paused, and the three men in front of him looked at him knowingly. Remus cut him off before he could finish.

"Of course George can join us when he gets here. When it is his time."

"Because of course, we are all very family oriented here," James added, slinging an arm around his best friends' shoulders.

"And we know what it's like to lose a part of ourselves, blood related or not," Sirius finished, looking to James, recalling he feeling that had shot through him when he found out that James and Lily had been murdered.

"Well then, let's get down to business, shall we?" Fred asked, a grin stretching across his face, rubbing his hands together. "I do believe we have some mischief to manage."

Sirius laughed, moving out from underneath James' arm and clapping a hand on Fred's shoulder, steering him towards a large tree by the edge of the lake. "Good man. We've gotta get you a nickname, first of all. One that will correspond with George's when he gets here." He flopped heavily down on the grass as they got there. Remus and James followed suit, the newest Marauder sitting last, still having slight mental whiplash, absorbing all of this information despite his confident front.

"Wait," Fred's brows furrowed, looking over to the three of them, "Before we start on that, there's only three of you here… where's-"

"Wormtail is a disgusting, pathetic excuse for a Marauder, and doesn't deserve to be titled such," Sirius spat, Remus placing a calming hand on the bristling Animagus's shoulder. James's face was twisted in anger as well, and Fred blinked, unsure of why exactly they thought this of someone who was their partner in crime.

"Peter Pettigrew" Remus said quietly, noting the slightly confused look on the boy's face. Dawning realization hit Fred, and he nodded.

"Well, down to business, how the hell did you guys choose your Marauder names?" Fred asked, effectively changing the topic. "I get Moony… but Padfoot and Prongs?"

"Padfoot, for the pads on my feet in my Animagus form" Sirius explained easily, knowing that Fred knew exactly what form that was. The redhead nodded his understanding, and turned to James, meeting the hazel eyes behind those glasses; the one main feature that let him know it wasn't Harry he had first seen.

"Mine is rather like Paddy's. My Animagus form is a stag. Prongs. For my antlers, you know?" he held his hands up to his head, miming antlers with his fingers. Fred laughed, nodding again.

"Fair enough. Now, I'm not an Animagus. Not exactly a lot of time during the wa- Bloody hell! The war!" Fred was on his feet in an instant, completely shocked and ashamed of himself. How had he forgotten all about the giant battle that was taking place, putting his family and friends in harm's way. Turning, he saw that Remus was on his feet as well, looking bewildered.

"This place has that effect on people," James said calmly, the veteran of the group. "It makes you… forget why you are here. Of course, you never truly forget, but it can slip your mind at times. But don't worry, it's not hard to see what's going on down below. Just take a look into the water."

Fred did as he was told, and what he saw nearly broke his heart. His mother sobbing, draped across the chest of his dead body, his father stroking her hair, trying to console her even in some way; Hermione crushing a weeping Ginny in her embrace; Percy with an arm around Ron's shoulders, standing with Bill and Fleur, all with expressions of despair and agony clearly written across their faces. But most of all, George, his George, his other half, his partner in crime, kneeling at his head and looking as if the world had ended.

"It's okay Georgie," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion, "It didn't even hurt. And it's great up here. We're waiting for you. And when you get here, we'll be complete, and we can get up to whatever crazy shenanigans we want to. No rules up here Georgie." His voice was thick, and it wavered as he spoke, but the three men behind him watched on in silence, Remus having gone through the same thing not long before.

Fred knew that George couldn't hear him. He knew there was no physical way for his twin to know what he had said, but when he finished speaking, his other half looked up from where his head was bowed, a glimmer of what looked like hope passing across his face, though the tears continued to fall. A light breeze rippled the surface of the lake, and the image blurred, the surface turning mirrored once again, and all Fred could see was his own face, identical to the one that had just disappeared, a lone tear streaking down his face.

He hoped George knew that he would never be alone. Not even death could stop Fred from watching out for his dearest twin, until the fateful day that he came to join the Marauders, and their Mischief would be Managed.

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><p><strong><em>Ahem. So this is what I wound up with at 5 o'clock this morning. It's unedited, so beware.<em>**

**_SM._**


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